In Dreams
by INK
Summary: Daine finds herself infested with some sort of Chaos demon, and it gives both her and Numair the weirdest dreams they could imagine.
1. Default Chapter

In Dreams By Crescent

I said I'd put up a Tortall fic, and by Mithros, I did!This is kind of a combination of D/N fluff, and me trying to write something weird.I know this isn't very weird, but oh well.I catually started it sometime last year or something, got stuck, gave up, and then suddenly thought of an ending yesterday.Go figure.

R/R!!!

In DreamsBy Crescent

Veralidaine Sarrasri walked through a dark, deep forest.As she passed the tall spruce trees, she could hear the voices of her animal friends calling cheerful greetings to her.Zek the marmoset, Flicker the squirrel, Quickmunch the marmot, the Emperor Mage's birds, and anyone else that happened by.Daine smiled and returned the greeting happily.But the animals were not finished.The greetings became less friendly as she went deeper into the trees, and soon they had turned into mocks and threats.Daine nervously tried to calm them down, without avail, and the comments became worse.Slurs on her past, against her relationships, her battles and virtues.She cried in fear and shame.Birds of prey suddenly leapt out of their treetop homes and plummeted at her. "Daine," they called."Da-aine, Dainedainedaine. Daine Sarrasri!"Covering her head with both hands, the girl screamed.

"Daine!"

She sat bolt upright, and felt hands on her shoulders."What?Whatwhatwhat?"She was shaking.

One of the candles beside her bed lit up.Opening her eyes, Daine looked up into the concerned face of her friend and love, Numair Salmalín.The candlelight cast shadows on his handsome face, and made his eyes seem darker that ever.He held her shoulders, and was shaking her gently.

"Daine.Daine, wake up."Numair let go of one shoulder to brush a stray curl off of her face."Shhh, it was just a dream."He held a glass of water to her lips, and she tried not to spill as she drank it.One of her hands crept up to meet Numair's.He smiled at her."Are you all right?"

Daine carefully placed to water glass on the table, for fear she might spill it."I- I'm fine," she whispered."It was j- just a dream."A horrible dream, she added to herself.She tried to tell Numair to go back to bed, but her voice caught, and she started to cough. 

Numair supported her until she could breath, looking worried."Are you sure you're all right?" he inquired."Nightmare or not, you don't usually end up getting sick from them."He put an arm around her."Do you want me to stay with you?"

At any other time, Daine would have accused Numair of treating her like a baby.Now, though, she was exceedingly grateful of his thoughtfulness, and simply nodded feebly into his shoulder. Numair kissed her forehead and held her until she stopped trembling.The next time he looked down at her, she had fallen asleep again.He carefully laid her down on the bed, and tucked the covers around her.She was beautiful in sleep.He watched her for a few moments, then kissed her cheek and went back to his room.

6

When she woke up, the first thing Daine noticed was that the sum was shining in through the window onto her bed.Strange, she hadn't slept this late in a while.Gingerly, she rolled out of bed, fighting the faint feeling that meant she had gotten up too fast.Her toes touched the familiar carpet, and she walked carefully into the main room.The clock in the corner of the room said that it was almost noon.

A small, sweet cake and a note were lying on a table.Daine picked up the note and read:

Magelet, I decided to let you sleep in, after your ordeal last night.You looked a little sick when you fell asleep.I let Onua know, and she will expect you after the noon bell.If you need me, I'm spending the morning with Lindhall, and I'll be in my workroom in the afternoon.The cake is for you.Eat it.

Numair

Daine smiled.It was just like Numair to leave her a little something when he couldn't be around.She took a bite out of the cake and savored its delicate sweetness.She ate the whole thing, licked her fingers, and began to prepare for the afternoon.

Daine worked for Onua Chamtong, the horsemistress of the Queen's Riders.She dressed in rough clothes, for work with the horses, and set out in the direction of the Royal Forest, where the Rider's headquarters were.

Onua greeted her cheerfully, and handed her a pair of small scissors."We're trimming whiskers, today," she informed Daine."Usually the trainees would do them themselves, but today they have examinations.Hop to it."

Daine grinned at Onua's shortness, and started down the isle of the stable, until she reached the end.Her own grey mountain pony, Cloud, snapped at the scissors in Daine's hand, and backed up.You aren't coming near me with those, she told the girl.

Daine climbed over the stall door and smacked Cloud lightly on the rump."Like it or not, you're starting to look scruffy," she told her."I won't have a scruffy pony."

Maybe you'll have to get used to it, was the mare's haughty reply.Besides, you always clip too close.

"I do not," Daine retorted."Now, quiet, or I'll lose my concentration.Then I will cut too close!"

The mare grumbled, but did as she was told.Daine carefully clipped the whiskers on Cloud's muzzle, and thought about the dream.

Just thinking about it was almost as bad as living it.As she thought, she was yanked back to the forests, hearing the insults, feeling the claws and talons on her skin.She couldn't shake it off.

Hey!A voice penetrated the horror.That time you did cut too close, and I wasn't distracting you or anything!

Daine shook her head, and tried to free herself of the image.She suddenly felt very sick.Why had she not been able to get out of there?It was as if the mere memory of the nightmare was enough to render her helpless against the onslaught.Cloud asked her if she was OK, and she nudged her when she didn't get an answer.

"I—I need to go talk to Onua for a moment," Daine told her horse."Give me a moment."Daine veritably flew over the gate, and got to Onua as fast as she could.

"Something the matter?" the horsemistress asked, frowning."Cut Cloud too close again?"

I do not cut too close! Daine thought, irritably."I'm sorry," she said to Onua."I know you thought I was going to be in for work today, but I'm feeling sick again, and I really need to see Numair!"

Onua looked suspicious."Surely you don't need to be with him every waking moment of the day," she said."Can't you wait an hour or so?"

Daine blushed, and shook her head."Just what did Numair say when he told you I wasn't going to be in?" she asked.

Her friend looked surprised."He just said you were a little sick last night," she replied."Was it that serious?" 

Daine looked away.It was kind of embarrassing, getting sick over a bad dream.But what kind of dream wrapped around your brain and blotted everything out, while you were awake?"I—I had a really bad dream last night, and it made me sick, OK?I don't know why, but it makes me suspicious.It was no ordinary dream."

Onua blinked, then shrugged and agreed.After all, Daine wasn't usually one to miss work, not without a good reason.And something was bothering her.More than a bad dream would have. Picking up Daine's dropped scissors, she went to look after Cloud."I hope she's all right," she told the pony.

She usually is, came the tart reply.I don't see why she would change now. 

6

Inside the palace, in Lindhall Reed's workroom, Numair and Lindhall pored over an old, charred document.It was covered with strange runes, and writing in some foreign language.The two men were stuck, and it didn't help Numair's temper to be stuck and** worried sick about Daine.**

"Damn!" he finally shouted, exasperated."Why aren't we getting anywhere on this?"He flopped in a large chair in the corner of the room.

Lindhall didn't look away from the map, and said calmly, "You aren't helping matters by cursing and losing your temper."He eyed Numair's tall form sprawled on the chair, reminding him of a spider."I'm starting to understand why your old name was 'Draper', seeing as how you drape yourself all over my furniture like that."

The younger man glared at him."Maybe you think this is just a fanciful pursuit of mine, but I'm very worried about Daine!"Numair had filled his friend in with all the details of her dream."I tell you I felt something inside of her, and I didn't like it!" He jumped to his feet again and pointed accusingly at the parchment on the desk."And for some unfathomable reason, I think that's got something to do with it!"

Lindhall looked up sharply from his examination."You may be known to go off on your 'fanciful pursuits' as you call them, but I find that staying calm is helpful in a situation like this."

Numair sighed.He knew Lindhall was right.If they were going to get to the bottom of this, he would have to keep his head on straight.He shook his head to clear out the remaining traces of anxiety, and walked back to the desk.The two renewed their study.

A light tap on the door made them both jump.Numair spun, and saw a very pale Daine standing in the doorway.Much as he had wanted to see her, Numair felt awful looking at her.She looked sick, far sicker than she had looked the night before.He was used to seeing her energetic and outgoing, and now she looked as fragile as a glass figurine.He was afraid to touch her, for fear she might crumble in his hands.

Daine winced as she saw Numair's expression.The harsh climb up the stairs had taken it out of her, and she knew she looked like death warmed over.She inched inside the room.

"Numair, can I talk to you?" she asked.Her voice was husky."Alone?"

Lindhall raised an eyebrow, but did not comment.He quietly left the room, and shut the door behind him.

Daine moved for the chair and stumbled.Numair was at her side in a second, catching her."I'm fine," she gasped."Just tired from climbing the stairs."

For once, Numair found his sense of humor."I'll just bet you are," he said wryly."I've never seen you so drained."

Daine was not in the mood for bantering.She closed her eyes and counted to ten.She knew that Numair was probably almost as tense as she was, but he wasn't sick as well as frightened.She sank into the chair carefully.

"It's not over," she said.She blinked.What was that supposed to mean?

"What?" Numair looked confused.

Daine shook her head, and winced as pain raced up her neck.Numair put an arm around her shoulders."I mean, I mean…"She massaged her forehead with her hands, trying to figure out how to explain."I was working in the stables, and I was trying to figure out what was going on.I started thinking about the dream, and then—then I was there.I was in the dream again, I wasn't just remembering it.I could hear everything they said, feel everything they did… It was horrible.And I couldn't get out.Cloud had to bite me."She smiled weakly and showed him the cut on her elbow.The speech seemed to have drained her.

Numair was staring out the window, looking angry.He looked back at Daine, and held onto her shoulders.A sparkle of black fire played around his wrists."May I?" he asked.

Daine knew he wanted to probe her with his gift.She nodded, and closed her eyes.The fire crept into the heart of her magic, poking around here and there, and strengthening her as it did so.She opened her eyes and noticed that Numair was frowning, his eyes still closed.She felt his magic leave her own, then creep up her body, around her heart, then up her neck into her head.You'd better not go trying to read my mind, she thought in his direction.Then the room swayed, and went black.

6

Interested?Intrigued?Review!!!That's what the little box is for!


	2. The Dream

Numair found himself standing in the middle of a path, winding through a dark forest

Not much to say as an author's note, here, just begging you to read and review until you can review no more!

In Dreams Part II

Numair found himself standing in the middle of a path, winding through a dark forest.What on Earth had happened?One minute he was sitting there, searching Daine's body for demons or spirits, trying to determine what might be causing the dreams, the next he was out cold, only to wake up in this strange place.

A far-off shriek caught his attention.He spun, trying to locate its source.There!A flash of a white shirt in the black of the night.Numair ran through the underbrush, trying to reach her.Daine sat crouched in a small clearing, surrounded by a swarm of pink and green butterflies.It was no ordinary clearing, either.The edges were littered with animal carcasses and rotting flowers, and the middle oozed and bubbled like a mudpot, or quicksand, its muck constantly changing colour.Every time Daine tried to move, the butterflies beat at her, and the goo sucked her in.

Daine was being sucked into a Chaos vent.

Furious, Numair shouted.Daine spun to see him, and was sucked under until she was waist-deep.No! he cried in his mind.Funny, he had tried to say that out loud, but it hadn't worked.Desperate, he tried to grab her with his magic.

Nothing happened.Numair swore vividly, and tried again.Again, nothing.Curse this place!He couldn't use his magic to save her, but how else was he supposed to?If he stepped in the muck, he would get sucked in, too, and would be no use to her.The butterflies had lost interest in Daine, and now swarmed around him, beating him mercilessly with their tiny wings, blinding him.

Frantic, Numair groped in the trees for a vine or a branch or something.His hand found a long vine, and he thanked the gods profusely.Beating the butterflies from his face, he tried to get a good look at where Daine was.

She was up to her shoulders in the muck, her arms trapped around her sides.Numair swore again, and tried to throw the rope to her in a way that did not involve hanging her.On of her hands pulled out of the goo with a squelch, and she caught the vine.Numair pulled on the vine, trying to free the rest of her body.She came up slowly.The stuff was so thick that it made no noise as she came out.Once free, Daine started to swing towards the edge.She knocked into Numair, and the two fell in a heap.

"Excuse me," Daine managed to gasp.She rolled off Numair's chest and threw up into the bushes.Numair sat up as she turned back around, wiping her mouth with her hand."I thought the vents were only in the Divine Realms."

He swatted at a butterfly that was fluttering around his ear."Maybe we're in the Divine Realms.Maybe we're in the Realms of Chaos.Maybe we're dead."He didn't like the sound of the last one."Maybe we're just dreaming."

At least she didn't feel so sick anymore.Daine smiled at him."Let's hope on the last one."She reached over to kiss him.

"Well, well, well," said a mocking voice behind them."Maybe I was right, after all."

Numair sat up quickly, almost knocking Daine over."Who's there?!"

The voice laughed a laugh that made them shudder.As Daine watched, a large Stormwing flapped into the clearing, and perched on a branch above them.

"Ozorne!"The name spat out of Numair's mouth was a low, hissing curse.

Daine jumped to her feet."No!No, you're dead!I killed you myself, not two years ago!What do you mean 'I was right'?"She fumbled for a bow and quiver that weren't there.

The former Emperor Mage cackled."Surprised to see me?Shocked?I should hope so.What I meant, Veralidaine, is that on that day many years ago, in Carthak, I was right.I told you your precious Arram Draper was in love with you, and I was right.So, my turtledoves, how many children do you have so far?Six? Seven?"He examined their hands with interest."Tsk, tsk, and not even married yet."

Daine blushed, and threw a rock at the approaching Stormwing.It bounced off his head."Wench!" he shrieked."You will pay for that!"He lunged for Daine, talons outstretched.

"No!"

"No!"

Daine toppled off her seat, and fell into Numair.They were back in the study.They both gasped, then sighed with relief that the nightmare was over.For a moment, they just lay there, breathing hard, trying to calm down.

Finally, Numair asked, "Are you all right?"

Daine rolled off him, rubbing a bruise on her elbow."I'll live.You?"

Numair smiled up at her."I'll live, too."She grinned back at him, and he reached up and kissed her.She kissed him back gratefully, feeling her strength returning.He stood carefully, holding her up, and kissed her again, softly.

Discreet coughing reached their ears.Lindhall was standing in the doorway, waiting, a kind smile on his face."Now that you two are done your private discussion, let's get back to this parchment." 

6

Just because Daine and Numair had triumphed in one dream didn't mean that the nightmare was over.Numair reminded Daine of this, and she knew it was true.At least she didn't have to worry about that until the night, when she would have to sleep again.She shuddered at the prospect.For now, though, she could concentrate on helping Numair and Lindhall with the parchment.She surveyed it with interest, looking carefully over every rune and letter.

"I've never seen the likes of it," she finally told the mages."And I don't know why you would think I would.You're the ones who've spent your lives in libraries, not me."

Lindhall chuckled."I thought maybe just seeing the scroll might trigger something," he told her."I guess I was wrong."

Daine looked at the sheet again.She looked away, then back again.One of the runes was different.Hadn't it been written in black ink a moment ago?Now it was green.She frowned, and looked closer.It was getting bigger, too.Steeling herself, she reached out a hand to touch it.

"Don't you dare!"Numair smacked her hand away from the scroll, his eyes panicked."How do you know there isn't some kind of draining spell, or tracking spell on that?"

Daine frowned."You said that Wild Magic couldn't be drained.Normal spells don't work on me."

Numair grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her."You actually think these are normal spells we are working with?!What's wrong with you?Think, Daine!"

Daine sighed and rubbed her eyes."Fine.If you don't want me here, I'll just go."She turned and walked out the door.

What was Numair's problem?She was always cautious, and he had been the one to make her talisman to ward off everyday spells.Didn't he trust his own work?Didn't he trust her?And now he was angry with her.Perfect."Well," she said to herself."I guess I'll just go home and wait for him.I'm no use in there, anyway."

She shook her head suddenly.Where were those thoughts coming from?Numair had a right to be nervous, and it was true that this was not ordinary magic.How could she have thought otherwise?

What ever had caused her to think those thoughts came pushing up again.Daine could feel the power trying to take over her mind.She gasped, and concentrated on forcing it out.The power fought, and almost won.Concentrate, she thought to herself.You've done all sorts of things before, you can do this!Finally the magic retreated, but Daine was worried.It would have made her much happier if she had felt it leave her.Instead, she had felt the power sink deep into the back of her mind, and wait quietly until Daine was off guard to try again.Rubbing her temples, she resumed walking to Numair's apartment.

Numair found her there an hour later, curled up in a large chair, staring at the wall.She was afraid to fall asleep.He closed the door, and entered the room quietly.

Daine jumped as he entered the room.She saw Numair and relaxed."Where have you been?" she asked."I've been waiting for hours."

Numair frowned."It's only been twenty minutes," he informed her."Not several hours."

Daine pushed the blanket away and stood up.She frowned."Really?It felt like several hours."

Numair walked over and pressed her back into her chair."Sit," he told her."I wanted to apologize for yelling at you.It was uncalled for."He looked down."I'm sorry."

Daine smiled."It was as much my fault as yours," she said."Which is something I wanted to talk about."Numair looked up expectantly at her, and she took a deep breath.Why was it always so hard to talk about this?"Something- or someone- was toying with my head today.When I said that stuff, it wasn't exactly me talking.I don't know who or what it was, but they're not done with me yet."

Numair swore, and jumped to his feet.Daine frowned as she watched him run into his room, his eyes furious.When he came back out again, his face was pale and his eyes dark and snapping."You remember that bracelet I had, for a focus?" he asked her, and she nodded."It's gone."

Daine leapt up."What?!You're sure?"Focuses were powerful tools.You could perform dangerous spells with them, like control of body and mind."Goddess, so that's what it was."

Numair looked up sharply."We can't be sure that's what it was," he said tightly."But it would explain a few things."He smiled."Well, there is one good thing about learning this."

She sat forward in her seat."What's that?"

He grinned at her."I can track the bracelet to wherever in the world it might go.Whether it's the problem or not, we can fix you with it."He kissed her happily, then wandered into his room, and Daine could hear him muttering, "Really, why didn't I think of that before?" 

6

One hour later, Daine, Numair and Lindhall were in the stables, waiting for Stephan to fetch their horses.As Cloud sauntered up to the group, she gave Daine a disdainful look.

What now? she asked.I'm not very fond of going off on silly little trips in the dead of night.

Get used to it, Daine retorted silently.You'll be going on many "silly little trips" in the near future.

That's what I was afraid of, the mare retorted.She snapped at Stephan, then stood still as Daine mounted, muttering to herself.

Numair had tracked the focus, and found that it was deep in the thick of the royal forest.Daine remembered the dream and shuddered.He thanked the hostler, and the threesome began their journey.

"You're sure it's in the forest?" Daine finally asked, hopeful."It couldn't have been a mistake?"

"Do I make mistakes?" Numair asked cheerfully.

"Occasionally," she replied wryly.Numair threw a pinecone at her.

"Enough," Lindhall said."We're almost at the forest."Daine gulped.

The Royal Forest loomed up dark and forbidding in the darkness of the night.Though Daine had been inside its depths many times before, she had never felt like this toward it.Perfect, she thought.I'll never be able to come here again, and I work about a hundred yards away.She shook her head, took a deep breath, and rode into the forest.

Daine flinched as the branches closed around the party.She called greetings to her animal friends, and received cheerful replies.She smiled, but she could almost hear the insults and slurs from the previous night.She winced as she thought she heard an insult, then sighed when she realized it was a crow.She was used to insults from crows.

Numair noticed that Daine was getting a little pale, and rode up beside her."Are you all right with this?" he asked her."You're looking sick again."

Daine smiled weakly at him."I'll live.I just keep expecting the animals to jump out from between the trees and attack us."About this, she received several protests from the nearby animals."But I think that they're against that idea."At this, she received several agreements.

He smiled.Still, the trees were getting thicker, and Daine was looking worse and worse as they did so.

Suddenly, Daine jumped.

Numair looked up at her sharply."What happened?"

She surveyed the path and the foliage around them."I've been here before," she whispered.

Lindhall, who had almost been forgotten, piped up, "But you can't have.This is far deeper than any of us have ever been."

Daine shook her head."No.I've been here."She shivered."Right there."Her voice was barley audible."Under that tree."

Numair made her look at him."When?" he demanded."When were you here?"

Daine's answer was so low he had to bend over to hear."Then," she whispered."In that cursed dream!And any moment now everyone will come diving out of the trees, in a mad rush to kill us!"Her voice had become gradually louder until she was shouting.Numair looked around and realized that he, also, had been there.This was the very spot in which he had woken up after blacking out in Lindhall's office.

"Damn!" he sputtered."If this is there, and the bracelet should be over there, but that's where I saw her, then over there is a chaos vent!"

Lindhall blinked."I beg your pardon?"

Numair shook his head."Nothing, nothing," he muttered."It's right through there."He shuddered as Lindhall got carefully off his horse, and started through the trees.Daine shook from head to toe as she dismounted, and nearly tripped when she touched down.Numair got off quickly, and realized that he, too, was trembling.This place made him uneasy.He and Daine followed Lindhall into the dense underbrush.

The threesome carefully entered the clearing.Numair half expected Usoea, the Chaos queen, to leap out from somewhere, oozing claws flashing.He shook his head.Get a hold of yourself, he thought fiercely.She's been imprisoned by the most powerful gods in all the realms, she is not here. The bracelet was dangling dangerously on a delicate looking branch hanging over the middle of the clearing.

"Someone doesn't think very much of us," Daine remarked."It's easy to see it's a trap."

Numair sighed and put an arm around her shoulders."The worst part is we can't just walk away," he told her."If we leave without the bracelet, I don't know how we'll cure you."He stared at the floor of the clearing.It looked enough like normal forest floor, but Daine and Numair both knew better than to approach it without first taking precautions.

An elbow collided painfully with Numair's ribs."Try getting it with magic," Daine told him impatiently. 

"Your magic should work."

He shook his head to clear it, wondering why his mind was working so slowly, and reached for the bracelet.He held his breath as it lifted off the branch and floated slowly towards them.He supported Daine as she reached out, and plucked it out of the air.Gripping it tightly, she went over every inch to ensure that it was unharmed.She grinned and turned to Numair."It's fine."He grinned back at her, and fastened it around his wrist.It vanished as the clasp clicked together.He began to laugh with relief, and Daine followed suit.He scooped her up in his arms and placed her on his horse, then climbed up behind her.He kicked Spots to a gallop, as Lindhall shook his head and hitched Cloud up to his horse, and followed them. 

6

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	3. The Ritual

It was quite late that night when Daine finally retired for bed

The last installment!This is the part I wrote today.Stand in awe!In case you're wondering, the spell Numair did was an adaptation of a Wiccan generic ritual, dumbed down to save time.

In Dreams Part III

It was quite late that night when Daine finally retired for bed.Numair watched her carefully through the crack in his door, looking for any signs to give away what she might be thinking.Nothing.She just dressed and then sat on the side of the bed, her face emotionless.

This couldn't go on.Numair opened the door fully and walked out, then sat on the bed beside her, wrapping her up in a fierce hug.She didn't make a sound, just ran her hands up his chest and around his neck, letting him hold her tight.

"You're afraid to go to sleep, aren't you?" he demanded after a moment.

She was quiet for a long pause, but finally said wearily, "I don't know what's going to happen when I dream.I don't know if my dreams are Chaos-induced, or if it's just my own silly mind."She snuggled against him, and he tightened his arm around her shoulders."I don't know if something happens to me while I'm dreaming, if it will affect me here as well.I'm all confused."

Numair stroked her hair comfortingly.He was at loss for words.What was he to tell her?Finally, he laid her down on the bed, and lay down beside her, pulling the covers up over both of them."Whatever happens," he whispered to her."It'll happen to both of us." 

6

Both Daine and Numair slept without dreams, to their great surprise.Though the sleep was deep and black, almost like being in a coma—frightening—Daine preferred it to the dreams she could have had in its place.

When Numair awoke, it was dark.A glance outside at the moon and stars told him it was around midnight—there was no trace of sunlight on either horizon.A cold breeze found its way through the panes of glass and nipped at his robe.He shivered, and drew the thing tighter around himself.

Numair knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.With a sigh, he sank into a chair at his desk, and lit a single taper, opening a large book and beginning to read.Purifications, exorcisms, bindings… He could find nothing that would be any help to either him or Daine.He finally sat back, dejected.

He must have dozed off, because as he tried to think, images danced in front of his eyelids, like a play on a stage.Memories of his old life in Carthak; memories of Daine when he had just met her, small and shy; memories of the first time he had kissed her, how different that had been from any other kisses he had ever given out or received.An apparition of Lindhall popped up, younger than now, and Numair realized, even in his half-asleep state, that it was a memory from his boyhood, his first lessons in magic.

"Spell books will only take you so far," Lindhall had told him."Sometimes your need is different than what is written, and you need to improvise.It is possible to do spontaneous rituals.Call on the gods for assistance, if you are nervous, and even if you aren't.You can never have too much help."

That was it!Numair leapt to his feet, almost knocking the chair over in the process, before remembering that Daine was still sleeping.He righted the chair, then turned on his heel and sped to his workroom.

The walls were lined with jars of herbs and spices, labeled by name and magical usage, as well as ruling planets and deities.He scanned the shelves, searching for anything that might be useful.Lemon came down, sage, vervain…By the time he was done, he carried several jars, which he then put down on a desk in the corner.As if guided by some unknown force, he mixed pinches of the loose herbs into an aromatic blend, and tipped the mixture onto a small block of charcoal, set in that middle of a bowl of sand.

He was just finishing replacing the jars onto the shelves when Daine came in, looking rumpled.He looked up sharply, then relaxed when he realized it was only her.She stepped into the room and peered at the contents of his desk with curiosity.

"What's this for?" she inquired softly.

Numair finished putting the jars back, and came to stand beside her."I got an idea to help you," he replied."It won't be easy, but it might just work."He turned to face her, and the expression on the face before him said clearly that she was ready.He sighed and looked away.

"What must I do?" Daine asked, readjusting her rode around her body.

"Change, for one thing," he responded."Put on all white, and all cotton if you can manage it.Plant fibers.As little as you can, so it doesn't upset the balance.Even just a shift and a robe.Bare feet.And don't look at me like I'm crazy, I didn't mean it like than."

Daine smiled teasingly at him."I know.Then what?"

He smiled back, and began walking towards the main room of the tower, carrying the bowl with the incense blend in it."Sit in the middle of the main room," he told her."I'm still not entirely sure what I'm going to do, so I'll be improvising.But my earliest teachers told me that sometimes words straight from the heart are worth a thousand fancy spells from old books."

She smiled again, and walked back to the bedroom to change.Numair watched her retreating back, hoping desperately that this would work.

6

Daine stripped off her nightgown, throwing it carelessly into a corner, and pulled a thin cotton shift over her head.A robe of the finest material she could find came next, and when she finished, she washed her face and hands in water and herb-infused soap, tying her hair away from her eyes with a strip of leather.

Numair was in the main room when she got there, opening the large door that lead to the outside balcony.The cold air hit Daine like a slap in the face, but she didn't flinch."Numair," she called softly, and he turned.

"Kneel or lie down in the middle of that," he told her gently, gesturing to a circle of stones he had placed in the floor.She stepped through, and knelt in the center, facing North out of pure habit.Numair stood before her, and dabbed a tiny amount of rose-scented oil—her favorite kind—between her eyebrows, whispering in a language she didn't understand.

He stood at the edge of the circle, in the north most quarter, and slowly began to walk sunwise around her, still whispering under his breath.Black fire poured from his fingers as he walked, falling around them to form a protective sphere that went a smidgen higher that Numair's head.As she watched it grow, Daine realized that while she still didn't understand the language he spoke, she could tell what Numair was saying.

"O great circle of power," he chanted."Encompass us and purify us, and this sacred space.Stand in strength and power, holding in the positive energy raised within thee, and keep demons outside at bay.I call upon the powers of the Elements, of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water to aid us and add magic to this spell.In the name of Mithros and the Goddess, so mote in be.The circle is sealed!"

The power of the circle flared, then receded to a gentle glow, that pulsed with Daine's breath and heartbeat.Numair walked again to the north quarter, and stood with his hands upraised."Guardians of Earth, spirits of North, be with us tonight.Bring your stability and grounding to the circle."For a moment, he glowed a deep, musty green, and Daine caught a tiny smell of moss and damp loam.

"Guardians of the Air, spirits of the East, be with us tonight.Bring with you your wit and intellect, your sharp purification."The air in the circle stirred, and Numair's hands glowed a pale yellow."Guardians of the Fire, spirits of the South, be with us tonight.Grant us your passion and heat, to burn away evil."

Daine watched, amazed, as the candles in the room all flared suddenly, and resumed their normal flame size, burning steadily.The room seemed to have acquired a red tint.Numair turned to the West."Guardians of the Water, Spirits of the South, be with us here tonight.Give your cleansing and love, your positive transformation."Blue sparks danced at the corners of Daine's eyes, and she felt a cool wave wrap around her shoulders, with the light touch of undines.

Numair stood once again in front of her, raising his arms and staring at the sky."Mithros and Goddess," he whispered."Guide my hands and make my will and intent pure.Protect us during this rite.Be with us, Lord Sun and Lady Moon!"

Immediately, the atmosphere of the circle changed, becoming so saturated with power that Daine choked on her breath.She thought she felt a hand on each of her shoulders, one hot and radiating fiery protection, the other cool and nurturing.Numair lit the incense, and the smoke clouded the air with its fragrant volume.

He squatted in front of her, and held his hands to her face and closed her eyes.He and Daine both seemed to fall inside of her, plummeting towards the core of her magic and being.She could feel Numair's magic probing her, burning out any negativity he came across.But when he came to her head—around the same place where he had anointed her forehead—a surge of evil, felt violently by both of them, reached out and fastened itself to his magic, struggling to pull them both down with it.Numair struggled against it, shooting roots of magic into the earth to anchor himself and Daine.

Finally, slowly, the thing began to recede."Oh, no you don't," Numair muttered under his breath.He filled his lungs with all the air he could hold, mentally grounded himself, and pulled.

Daine could feel the thing leaving her body, although she couldn't tell from where.When she opened her eyes again, Numair had his hands clamped around something black, opening his fingers slowly to reveal what resembled a floating ball of oily tar.He whispered a few words that Daine missed, then threw up his hands and shouted a word of power.

The thing disappeared.Numair got to his feet and walked around the circle counterclockwise, dismissing the elements and pulling the magic of the circle back into his hand.When finally he returned to the North, he held his hands out, palms up, and cried, "The circle is open, but never broken!"

The room was dead quiet for a moment, and Daine began to stand up.The moment she got upright, though, the room spun around her, and she collapsed back onto the floor in a faint.

6

She awoke in her own bed, to the sound of Numair, Onua and Lindhall's voices.Daine felt inside herself for the store of Wild Magic, and found it to be as strong as ever, as did the rest of her.In fact, seeing as it was now around noon, with the sun streaming in through the large picture window, she was bursting with energy.

She sat up, and the others finally noticed that she was awake.Numair sat down on the bed next to her, smiling."Feeling better?" he asked."Do you think it worked?"

She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, like a girl, and grinned at him."If as fit as ever," she told him cheerfully."Excepting that I'm fair hungry.Isn't there any food in this house?"

This got a laugh from everybody, and the three left the room for Daine to change.She pulled on the simplest clothes she could find: plain breeches, tunic and shirt.She was just wrestling into boots when Onua came in, bearing with her a tray with hot soup and a tall glass of cow's milk.Daine ate them quickly, to Onua's amusement, then bounded out of the room.

Numair was waiting for her there—Lindhall had gone home.He caught her up in a fierce hug, holding her tightly."Are you sure you're all right?" he demanded, as Onua slipped discreetly out the door.

"As all right as always," Daine replied, hugging him back.She pulled away from him, and ran for the door."Let's go riding!"

He laughed, grabbed a cloak, and followed her, both of them running nearly all the way to the stables.

Finis…

6

Wasn't that lovely?Of course it was…

Last chance to review!Do so!!!!!

Thanx for reading, and watch for more! 

-Crescent (; 


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